Honors Western Civilization I (to 1500) History 112HN, 3 Credit Hours John E. Moser Ashland University Honors Program Christopher Swanson, Director

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1 Honors Western Civilization I (to 1500) History 112HN, 3 Credit Hours John E. Moser Ashland University Honors Program Christopher Swanson, Director General Description: This course is a study of the history of Western Civilization from Ancient Greece through the Renaissance by focusing on three critical episodes of that period Athens after the fall of the Thirty Tyrants (403 BC), the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) and the Florentine Renaissance (late 15th century). We examine all of these in considerable detail through the use of role-playing simulations from the Reacting to the Past series. This means that students take on the roles of a 5 th century BCE Athenian, a 4 th century CE Christian bishop, and a late 15 th -century Florentine. (20 students) Texts: Josiah Ober, Naomi J. Norman, and Mark C. Carnes, The Threshold of Democracy: Athens in 403 BC, 4th edition (New York: W.W. Norton, 2014) ISBN: R. Scott Smith, Ancient Rome: An Anthology of Sources (Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 2014) ISBN: Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, Norton Critical Edition (New York: W.W. Norton, 1992) ISBN: David E. Henderson and Frank Kirkpatrick, Constantine and the Council of Nicaea 325 CE: Defining Orthodoxy and Heresy in Christianity (Course packet, 2014) Paul R. Wright, Machiavelli and the Florentine Republic, (Course packet, 2016) Students will also need access to the Christian Bible (any edition, including online) Syllabus: August 30 Course Introduction / Making History September 1 Pre-Game: Athens Besieged Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp. 3-43; Introduction to Athens Besieged (handout) 6 Introduction to The Threshold of Democracy, Athens in 403 B.C.E. Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp Discussion of Plato s Republic Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp

2 Reading quiz due 13 Threshold of Democracy: Game Session #1 Topic: The Reconciliation Agreement Required Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp Recommended Reading: Thucydides on the horrors of civil war, Book 3, chapters 69-85, and on the horrors of ancient warfare, Book 7, chapters ( Supplemental Readings folder in Blackboard) 15 CLASS CANCELED 20 Threshold of Democracy: Game Session #2 Topic: Who should have the right to vote and hold office? Required Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp Recommended Reading: Aristophanes, Ecclesiaszusae (The Assemblywomen) ( Supplemental Readings folder in Blackboard); Threshold of Democracy, pp (review for Socrates views on women and the family in the ideal state) 22 Threshold of Democracy: Game Session #3 Topic: Should assemblymen and jurors be paid? Required Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp Recommended Reading: Pseudo-Xenophon, The Constitution of the Athenians ( Supplemental Readings folder in Blackboard) 27 Threshold of Democracy: Game Session #4 Topic: The trial of Socrates Required Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp (review) Recommended Reading: Plato s Apology ( Supplemental Readings folder in Blackboard) 29 Threshold of Democracy: Game Session #5 Topic: Should there be a governing council? Required Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp (review for Socrates views on education of the Guardians), October 4 Threshold of Democracy: Game Session #6 Topic: Should Athens rebuild its navy and its empire? Required Reading: Threshold of Democracy, pp Recommended Reading: Thucydides s Melian Dialogue, Book 5, chapters ; Athenian Tribute List, 454/3 BC ( Supplemental Readings folder in Blackboard) 6 Debriefing for The Threshold of Democracy Reading: The Threshold of Democracy: What Happened in History (handout) 11 INTERLUDE: Ancient Rome Reading: Ancient Rome, pp , , , ,

3 13 CLASS CANCELED 18 Introduction to Constantine and the Council of Nicaea, 325 C.E. Reading: Constantine and the Council of Nicaea, 325 C.E. (all of it) 20 Discussion of the New Testament Reading: Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; Acts of the Apostles; Paul s Epistle to the Romans; Paul s First Epistle to the Corinthians; the Gospel of Thomas. 25 Pre-Game: Egyptian Prison and the Council of Antioch Reading: Ancient Rome, pp , , , ; materials for Egyptian Prison and the Council of Antioch (to be distributed by gamemaster) Reading quiz due 27 Council of Nicaea: Game Session #1 Topic: The Creed November 1 Council of Nicaea: Game Session #2 Topic: The Creed (cont d) 3 Council of Nicaea: Game Session #3 Topic: TBD 8 CLASS CANCELED 10 Debriefing for Constantine and the Council of Nicaea Reading: The Council of Nicaea: What Really Happened (handout) 15 Introduction to Machiavelli and the Florentine Republic, Reading: Machiavelli and the Florentine Republic (all of it) 17 Discussion of Machiavelli Reading: The Prince, pp. 1-74, , , Discussion of Savonarola Reading: Savonarola, Do Penance, Letters to his Parents, and Canzoni (handouts) Reading quiz due 24 THANKSGIVING NO CLASS 29 Machiavelli: Game Session #1 Topic: Should Priors be elected, or chosen by lot? December 1 Machiavelli: Game Session #2 Topic: Should Florence sponsor a Bonfire of the Vanities? 6 Machiavelli: Game Session #3 Topic: The Medici conspiracy 8 Machiavelli: Game Session #4 Topic: What should be done about Savonarola? 13 1:30 3:30 pm: Debriefing for Machiavelli and the Florentine Republic 3

4 Grading policies: The following factors will make up the final grade Reading: Machiavelli and the Florentine Republic: What Really Happened; Machiavelli s Discourse on Remodeling the Government of Florence (handouts) Papers (40%) The number of written assignments, as well as their length, their subject matter, and when they are due, depends on the role that the student plays in each simulation. Students are expected to write a total of 4,000 words (12-14 pages) over the course of the semester, and each paper must be written in character; that is, it is to be written as the person portrayed would have written. No paper shorter than 500 words will be graded, nor will it count toward the 4,000-word minimum. Speeches (40%) Most students are expected to make at least four speeches to the class over the course of the semester two for the first game, and one each for the second and third. It is likely that speeches will address the same subjects as students papers. While it is certainly acceptable in this case to refer to notes during in-class speeches, students absolutely may not read a speech from a prepared text. In other words, simply reading aloud from a paper will not satisfy the speech requirements. Attendance and Participation (20%) This is not a typical university course. There are very few lectures. The course succeeds or fails based on the willingness and ability of every student to participate meaningfully in class discussions, both in and out of character. Of course, the first requirement is that students attend class diligently. No student may miss more than two class sessions without his or her grade being adversely affected. In addition, during the game s public meetings in other words, those class sessions when students will be in character an absence could seriously affect the ability of a particular faction to accomplish its objectives. But while attendance is required in order to earn a decent grade in this course, it is not sufficient. To receive a grade higher than a C, a student must participate fully in class discussions and in the games, above and beyond the speeches required. When not addressing the group, students should be questioning those who are. At the very least students should during the simulations make a habit of expressing support for arguments of which they approve and hostility to those not approved. Students need to remember that, for the characters they portray portray this would not have simply been an academic exercise; these would have been questions often literally of life or death. Contact person: jmoser1@ashland.edu 4

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The Athenian Constitution (Document A)

The Athenian Constitution (Document A) Source: The following excerpt comes from The Athenian Constitution, written by the Greek philosopher Aristotle between 330 and 322 BC. Aristotle was the leading Greek